Texas Rangers Receive Bonus Pool, Slot Budget for Upcoming MLB Draft

The Texas Rangers will have the chance to restock their minor league system during this July’s MLB Draft.

Apr 16, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Texas Rangers cap sits in dugout in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers were hoping they wouldn’t be drafting this high again for quite some time, but here they are.

The Rangers have the No. 12 overall selection in July’s MLB draft, one year after having the final selection in 2024 after winning the World Series in 2023.

If there is any upside to missing the playoffs last year with a highly talented team, it’s that the Rangers can draft a high-upside first-round pick and have the money to pay him a quality bonus.

MLB.com reported the bonus pools for all 30 teams and the slot bonuses for each pick in the first 10 rounds of the draft. The pools are set aside for those selections.

The Rangers are set to receive $10.991 million in bonus money, as more than half of the league has bonus pools of $10 million or more.

The slot bonus for the Rangers’ No. 12 pick is $5.746 million. Last year’s first-round pick, catcher Malcolm Moore, was selected No. 30 overall and received a bonus of $3 million.

The Rangers selected No. 4 in the 2023 MLB draft and selected outfielder Wyatt Langford, who is now the Rangers’ everyday left fielder. He signed an $8 million bonus.

Texas could choose to pay above or below slot for the pick, which would impact their overall bonus pool.

Texas’ second-round pick, which is No. 52 overall, features a slot bonus of more than $1.8 million, giving the Rangers a chance to hand out seven-figure bonuses to two different players that could be future stars in the Majors.

Texas must be careful not to exceed the bonus pool, as that would lead to penalties on either future bonus pool money or even draft selections.

Per MLB rules, a club that spends under 5% over its pool pays a 75 percent tax on the overage. Between 5-10%, the price goes up to surrendering a first-round pick and paying a 75 percent tax on the overage.

For exceeding by 10-15%, a team can lose a first-round pick, a second-round pick and pay a 100% tax on the overage.

If a team goes over by 15%, they lose two first-round picks and pay a 100% tax on the overage.

Players picked in the final 10 rounds can be signed to a bonus of $150,000, which doesn’t come out of the pool as long as teams don’t exceed that amount.

Texas Rangers 2025 MLB Draft Pool Money

Bonus Pool: $10,991,300

Slots by Round

First Round

No. 12: $5,746,800

Second Round

No. 52: $1,846,700

Third Round

No. 84: $950,100

Fourth Round

No. 115: $661,100

Fifth Round

No. 146: $489,200

Sixth Round

No. 175: $374,100

Seventh Round

No. 205: $292,400

Eighth Round

No. 235: $233,400

Ninth Round

No. 265: $205,100

Tenth Round

No. 295: $192,400